Machine for stripping tobacco leaves



A'u'g; -5, 1930.1 M. G. P. PHILLIPS 1,772,014

MACHINE FOR STRIPPING 'roBAcco'LEAvEs I Filed' Aug. 12. 1927 v ssheets-sheet 1 f3 .A 9 6 a l /57/l i Bq hilf;

Aug. 5, 1930. M. G. P. PHILLIPS 1,772,014

MACHINE'FOR STRIPPING TOBACCO LEAVES Filed Aug. 12,-1927 s sheets-sheet42 Aug. 5, 1930. M. G. P. PHILLIPS MACHINE FOR STRIPPING TOBACCO LEAVESFiled Aug. 12. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 5. 1930 INIORRISGODFREY PHILIP FHILLIPS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND MACHINE FOR STBPPXNG TOBACCOLEAVES Application filed August 12, 192'?, Serial No.

This invention relates to machines for stripping tobacco leaves and itrefers to machines in which the stripping is effected by means of astripping device having a number L, of teeth or serrations, theinterspaces of j which form individualA stripping elements adapted toengage and act upon a number of leaves simultaneously, provision beingmade for retaining the stems in said inter- 0 The present invention hasfor its object certain improvements designed to secure the moreetiicient stripping of the stem.

ln practice the diameter of the stems of 5 different types of leaves mayvary considerably, with the result that the position they occupy betweenthe teeth is such that efficiency of the stripper is not secured, acertain amount of leaf being left upon the stem. Tobacco leaves'aspresented to the stripping device frequently have the stems in a more orless twisted condition so that the plane of the web is not at orsubstantially at a right angle to the longitudinal aXis of the 5 teeth.

According to the present invention the more effective operation ofthestripper is secured by varying the effective area of the leafengaging spaces.

According toone form of the presentinvention the front of the stripperproper is so mounted upon its support as to permit of its readyadjustment in a direction transversely of its length, and further hassecured it either adjustably in relation to it, or fixed, a resilientlymounted or rigid member or members, having channels therein which aredisposed opposite the interspaces of the teeth, whereby when the memberwhich acts 40 to retain the leaves in the stripper comes into operation,the stems are pressed on to the said resilient or other member ormembers and occupy such a position as will permit the most effectiveaction of the stripper, the stem moreover being enclosed uponsubstantially all sides.

lin order that the invention may be the better understood drawings areappended showing one form of the invention in which spaces throughoutthe stripping operation.

212,516, and in Great Britain May 20, 1927.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the stripping elements. n

Fig. 4C is a section on line A-A Fig. 3 showing one of the leaves beingstripped from its stem. Fig. 5 is a section on line B-B Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the strip- Fig. 7 is a section on lineC-V-G Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a view showing the comb.

Fig. l2 is a face view of a still further 70 modification, similar tothat shown in Fig.k 1l..

Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of Figs. l1 and 12.

-Referring to the accompanying drawings, l indicates a bar disposedtransverselyof the machine and which bar is secured at each end to anarm such as 2 (Fig. l) each of which arms 1s pivotally connected at itsopposite Ieo ping yelements showing certain modifications.

the member co-operat- I,

end to a carriage 3 having a reciprocalmotion in the horizontal planealong supporting rails such as 3a. The arms are actuated at the desiredpoints in the travel of the carriage to cause the comb to engage theleaves, which leaves are supported with their butt ends projectinginwards by a belt 4. As the mechanism by which the foregoingoperationsare effected forms no part of the present invention detaileddescription thereof isnot n necessary.

The bar l is slotted transversely at two points indicated by 5 the barbeing drilled and tapped forthe passagev of screws 6, the upper ends ofwhich screws engage blocks 7 slidable in the slots 5, said blocks 7being drilled and tapped to engage screws 8 whereby the comb-like plate9 is secured to said blocks. By means of the screws 6 the comblike plate9, having invert-ed V shaped teeth, may be moved transversely of bar l,and so 10C' 'other hard or substantially hard vary the lateraldimensions of the opening through which the leaf is drawn.

This adjustment of the bar 9, if relied upon solely, would in the casewhere the adjustment is made for stalks of small diameter permit them tobe wedged in the lower portion of the V and prevent its movementtherethrough without breaking. Moreover, if adjusted for a stalk oflarge diameter, so much space would be left that parts of the web of theleaf would pass through without being stripped.

Also formed in the barl are other transverse slots 10 in which areslidably supported, by means of screws 1l other blocks l1aN to which aresecured by screws 13 a bar or plate 14, the upper edge of which isprovided with a series of channels 14a which are so disposed that theycoincide with the interspaces between the teeth of the comblilie plate9. The screws 13 pass through openings 10"l running transversely of thecomblilre plate 9. By turning the screws 1l in one or other directionthe bar or plate 14 may be adjusted transversely of the bar l and plate9. To clamp the parts in their adjusted positions screws 15 are providedwhich pass through slots in both plat-es 9 and 14 and are tapped intothe bar 1.

In order to ensure the proper engagement of the stems with the channels14a of bar 14.. there are provided spring pressed blocks l5 (Fig. 6)preferably mounted upon the bar or plate 16 whereby the leaves areretained in the interspaces of the comblilre plate 9, and which bloc-irswhilst yielding 'to accommodate the stems act to press them down withinthe channels 14:L of plate 14, and preferably the active surfaces ofsaid blocks are also grooved or channelled. Blocks, springs or the likemay also be provided upon the member 14, with or without blocks or thelike upon the plate 16. The blocks or the like upon the member 14 serveto automatically compensate for variations between the averageadjustment required for a particular type of leaf, and which averageadjustment is effected by the setting of the plate 14, and variationsbetween individual stems which may be present in that type.

Instead of being rigid upon the combliln plate 9, the bar or plate 14may be resilientl7 mounted thereon, or again instead of a single plate14 a number of independent resilient or resiliently mounted bodies 14h(see may be substituted, which bodies 141 may either be formed of blocksof wood, metal or material mounted upon springs secured to the front ofthe stripper, or they themselves be in the form of U shaped springsarranged with the limb longitudinally of the Vleaf and with the upperand free member engaging the stem, or a strip of rigid material, as 14ein Figures l1, 12 and 13 with an india rubber liange 14d may be employedextending along the face of the stripper, or again blocks of rubber maybe provided. Or, as previously stated, the plate 14 may have a series ofresiliently mounted or other bodies upon the front thereof, therebyautomatically adapting; the tooth spaces to the size of each individualstallr.

ln all cases it is preferred that the surface of the wood, rubber orother material where it engages the stem should be slightly Curbedgrooved. Obviously the channelled plate instead of v-eing secured 'tothe support for the first late may be adjustably secured to saidcombilre plate.

Claims:

1. A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising` a comblilre member andmeans for initially varying the effective area of the leaf engagingspaces of said comblilre member.

A stripper for tobacco leaves, comprising a comb lilre member, a supportfor said member and means, adjustably connected to said .pport, forvarying` the eiiective area of *he leaf spaces of said comb like member.

3. A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblilre member, asupport for said member, means adjustably securing said comblilre memberto said support and moans adjustably connected to said support, forinitially varying the effective area of the leaf enga;I g spaces of saideomblilre member.

4. A, stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblile member, asupport for said member, means adjustably securing said comblike memberto said support and means for varying the effective area of the leafenspaces of said comblilre member, cernyV ing` an adjustably mountedmember, lgrooves in said member coinciding with the leaf engaging spacesof the comblile member. Y

il, stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblilre member, a supportfor said member, means adjustably securing said comblilre member to saidsupport and means for varying the eiiective of the leaf ening spaces ofsaid comblike member, comprising an adiustably and resiliently mountedmember, grooves in said member coinciding with the spaces of thecomblilre member. Y

6. A stripper for tobacco leav s comprising a comblilre member, a supperfor l ber, means adjustably securing said comtlilre member to saidsupport and means ng the effect-ive area oi tie leaf ing spaces 'of saidcomblilre me aber, comprising adjustably mounted members, groove in eachof said members coinciding with the groove in the eomblike member.

7. A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblilre member, asupport for said memvE :lo

ber, means adjustably securing said comblike member to said support andmeans for varying the effective area of the leaf engaging spaces of saidcomblilre member, comprising resiliently mounted members, a groove ineach of said members coinciding with the groove in the comblilre member.

8. A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblike member, a bar,transversely disposed lslots in said bar, blocks slidable in said slots,screw-threaded holes in said blocks, screws engaging said holes wherebythe blocks may be adjusted transversely of the bar, a comblilze memberconnected to the blocks, a second series of slots in the bar, blocksslidable in said second series of slots, screw-threaded holes in saidblocks, screws engaging said holes whereby the said blocks may beadjusted transversely of the bar'and the comblike member, a plateconnected to said second series of adjustable blocks, and grooves insaid plate coincident with the leaf engaging spaces of said comblilremember.

9. A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblike member, means forretaining the leaves in the interspaces oi said comblike member,resiliently mounted members upon said retaining means, grooves upon saidmembers coinciding with the leal engaging spaces of the comblike member,a bar, transj versely disposed slots in said bar, blocks slidable insaid slots, screw-threaded holes in said blocks, screws engaging saidholes whereby Vthe blocks may be adjusted'transversely of the bar, acomblilre member connected to the blocks, a second series of slots inthe bar, blocks slidable in said second series of slots, screw-threadedholes in said blocks, screws engaging said holes whereby the said blocksmay be adjusted transversely of the bar and the comblike member, a plateconnected to said second series of adjustable blocks, and grooves insaid plate coincident with the lea'f engaging. spaces of said comblikemember. Y

10. A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblike member, means'for retaining the leaves in the interspaces of said comblilze member,adjustably and resiliently mounted members upon said retaining means,grooves upon said members coinciding with-the leaf engaging spaces ofthe comblile member, a bar, transversely disposed slots in said bar,blocks slidable in said slots, screw-threaded holes in said blocks,screws engaging said holes whereby the blocks may be adjustedtransversely of the bar, a comblilze member connected to the blocks, asecond series of slots in the bar, blocks slidable in said second 1series of slots, screw-threaded holes in said blocks, screws engagingsaid holes whereby the said blocks may be adjusted transversely of thebar and the comblilre member, a plate connected to said second series ofadjustable blocks, and grooves in said plate coincident blocks slidablein said second series of slots,

screw-threaded holes in said blocks, screws engagingv said holes wherebythe said blocks may be adjusted transversely of the bar and l theeomblike member, a plate connected to said second series of adjustableblocks, and grooves in said plate coincident with the lear` engagingspaces of said comblike member, resiliently mounted members upon theouter face of the grooved plate, grooves in said resiliently mountedmembers coincident with ythe grooves of said plate.

127A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblilre member, a bar,transversely disposed slots in said bar, blocks slidable in said slots,screw-threaded holes in said blocks, screwsengaging said holes wherebythe blocks may be adjusted transversely of the Y bar, a comblike memberconnected to the blocks, a second series of slots in the bar, blocksslidable in said second series of slots, screw-threaded holes in saidblocks, screws engaging said holes whereby the said blocks may beadjusted transversely of the bar and the comblilie member, a plateconnected to, said second series of adjustable blocks, an

grooves in said plate coincident with the leaf engaging spaces of saidcomblike member,

adjustable and resiliently mounted members upon the outer face of thegrooved plate, grooves in said resiliently mounted members coincidentwith the grooves of said plate.

13. A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblike member, asupport for said member means adjustably securing said comblile memberto said support and means for varying 'the effective area of the leafengaging spaces of said comblike member, comprising an adjustablymounted member, grooves in said member coinciding with the leaf engagingspaces of the comblike member, and means for clampingl the parts intheir adjusted positions.

lll. A stripper for tobacco leaves comprising a comblike member, a bar,transversely disposed slots in said bar, blocks slidable in said slots,screw-threaded 'holes in said blocks, screws engaging said holes wherebythe blocks may be adjusted transversely of the bar, a comblike memberconnected to the blocks, a second series of slots in the bar,

blocks slidable in said second series of slots,

screw-threaded holes in said blocks, screws engaging said holes wherebythe said blocks may be adjusted transversely ofthe bar and l il U vlothe comblike member, a plate connected to said second series ofadjustable blocks and grooves in said plate coincident with the leafengaging spaces of said eomblke member, and means for clamping the partein their adjusted positions'.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MORRIS GODFREY PHILIP PHILLIPS.

